C.W. Post Alumni Receive 9-11 Heroes Medal of Valor

October 14, 2005 - Two alumni of the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University in Brookville were recipients of the 9/11 Heroes Medal of Valor, an honor bestowed by President George W. Bush on the firefighters, police and other public safety officers who lost their lives in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Gregory Stajk ’78 and Durrell “Bronko” Pearsall, Jr. ’92 were among the 442 heroes honored posthumously by President Bush in a ceremony at the White House Sept. 9. Both men were student athletes at C.W. Post. Stajk was a left-handed pitcher for the Pioneers under coaches Paul Fernandez and Dick Vining. Vining described Stajk as a “very competitive, hard-working young man,” character traits that were evident during his time with Ladder 13 of the New York City Fire Department.

Pearsall was an offensive lineman under long-time head coach Tom Marshall. There is an award in C.W. Post’s Department of Athletics named in his honor, and is presented to the most dedicated senior student-athlete at the school. Additionally, the Durrell Pearsall Endowed Memorial Scholarship was established in October 2001. Pearsall was a member of the Hempstead Volunteer Fire Department, and was a member of FDNY’s Rescue 4 in Woodside, Queens.